You Don't Have to Floss

I fidgeted in the dental chair. The technician finished the cleaning process.  She’d scraped my teeth so hard; the taste of blood lingered in my mouth. Next the dentist, Dr. P, would walk in and give me a stern lecture about dental hygiene. I never looked forward to seeing him. I gripped the chair and waited for my sermon. He was so serious and made me feel guilty. 

Dr. P entered and grinned at me. “Sue, today I’m not going to yell at you because you aren’t flossing your teeth regularly. I want you to know there is an alternative.”

This smiling man—was he really Dr. P? My mouth hung open. He was usually brusque. “An alternative? What is it?”

“We call it dentures. You keep living the way you live now. Oh sure, there will be toothaches, procedures, and discomfort. I’ll make lots of money. In about ten to twenty years, we pull all of your teeth. We fit you with dentures, and you’ll never have to worry about using dental floss. You can keep your teeth in a cup of cleaning solution every night.” He exited the exam room.

At home, his words haunted me. My actions had consequences, and I did something out of character. It’s called repentance. Regretting my poor oral hygiene, I changed my ways and flossed every evening after brushing my teeth.

On my next dental appointment, the technician complimented my clean teeth. Dr. P asked me, “What made you change?”

“Dentures.”

There’s also an alternative to confessing my sins. It saves time, and I needn’t worry about what God says. Ask for forgiveness? Nope. Ignoring my own faults and pride, I don’t have to forgive anyone, even myself. I’m able to hold grudges forever and live as though the world is only about me. I may hate whomever I want; for whatever reasons I decide. There’s no obligation to care about others.

But this comes at a price. There’s no peace or joy, and I’ll have trouble loving others. I could miss out on learning how God loves me and growing in my relationship with him. Day by day and year by year, I die a bit spiritually and lose the pleasure of living. Regret and misery could threaten my future.

Or I can confess to Jesus. When I confess my mistakes, faults, and bad judgement, he forgives me. He helps me change my ways and grow to be a better person. Each of us makes the choice for ourselves.

Susan Boltz

John 1:9 NKJV  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.